Bengaluru (AsiaNews) – For nearly three out of four migrants, moving to southern India has meant an improvement in their living conditions. However, this does not guarantee equal access to public services; in fact, healthcare and labour protections remain difficult to secure for a large number of workers moving between Indian states.
This paradox is highlighted by the South India Interstate Migration Survey 2026, conducted by the International Institute of Migration and Development with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
The study gathered responses from 1,824 migrant workers across 33 districts in Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu between December 2025 and March 2026.
About 71.8 per cent of respondents stated that their standard of living improved after migrating, and 56.9 per cent intend to continue living and working in their destination state. Yet, economic improvement does not translate into full integration into social protection systems.
About 73.3 per cent of the workers surveyed report difficulties accessing welfare programmes, and 70.4 per cent consider the support received from authorities to be insufficient.
Healthcare-related issues are even more of a problem with 69.2 per cent facing obstacles in accessing medical care, while 69.4 per cent cite the cost of health services as a major challenge.
This highlights the difficulty of retaining one's rights when relocating, even within the country’s borders.
According to the report's index, only 19.4 per cent of migrants enjoy a high level of what is termed “welfare portability”. This indicator measures access to workplace protections, insurance, social benefits, and other forms of financial support.
Precarity is also linked to the nature of the jobs obtained at the destination. About 86.4 per cent of respondents lack a written employment contract, and 57.6 per cent are paid in cash.
The average monthly income is 17,640 rupees (around US$ 180), while the median income is 16,000 rupees.
Nearly two thirds of workers find employment through friends or relatives, whereas 21.5 per cent are recruited by intermediaries.
Awareness of rights remains limited: Only 12.8 per cent of respondents state they are familiar with their workplace rights or public support programmes.
This figure is even lower among women, at 8.2 per cent, compared to 14 per cent among men. Awareness rises to 23.5 per cent among those with a written contract, but drops to 11.1 per cent among those without one.
The difficulty in accessing services is particularly evident in healthcare.
The report developed an indicator combining actual access to medical care with financial protection against medical expenses; only 1.6 per cent of the migrants surveyed met the criteria deemed adequate by the study.
Consequently, healthcare emerges as a key component of the precarity associated with migration.
Housing conditions also play a significant role. About 37.3 per cent of workers live in conditions classified by the report as having low housing adequacy, based on factors such as the type of accommodation, rent, access to water and electricity, and the condition of living spaces.
At the same time, 81.3 per cent report communication difficulties, and 79.6 per cent face language or cultural barriers.
Migrant workers come primarily from the country's eastern and northeastern states: 26.2 per cent of respondents from West Bengal, 21.8 per cent from Bihar, and 17.1 per cent from Assam.
The study identified key migration corridors, like the route between West Bengal and the city of Bengaluru, and the route between Bihar and Tiruppur in Tamil Nadu.
Conditions vary significantly depending on the destination state and the type of work.
In Karnataka, 93.9 per cent of respondents fall into the category characterised by exclusion from welfare benefits, compared to 67.9 per cent in Kerala and 54.3 per cent in Tamil Nadu.
Regarding healthcare barriers, the figures are 90.4 per cent, 60.6 per cent, and 57.2 per cent, respectively.
Women and younger workers are among the groups most exposed to various forms of vulnerability.
According to the report, all other factors being equal, female migrant workers earn on average about 3,313 rupees less per month than men.
Young people aged 15 to 24, individuals with no formal education, and workers recruited through intermediaries also face higher levels of employment-related vulnerability.
The study suggests that an effective response would require the coordination of welfare systems, easier access to healthcare, and better information regarding rights, including through services provided in the languages spoken by migrants.
The goal is to ensure that income improvements are accompanied by greater social security.
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